Dettori plays it safe with just two rides on July meeting's first day

Denaar: Frankie Dettori's comeback ride at Newmarket on Thursday

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By David Milnes
4:54PM, JUL 11 2017

Frankie Dettori is to make a pair of cameo appearances at Group 2 level on his return from injury on the opening afternoon of the three-day July meeting at Newmarket on Thursday, when he will have rides in just two of the seven races on what is ladies' day.

Dettori was originally set to return to action on Crowned Eagle in the opening Group 3 Bahrain Trophy, but will now reappear 35 minutes later in the Group 2 Arqana July Stakes when he rides Denaar for Al Shaqab Racing.

Andrea Atzeni now steps in for the ride on Crowned Eagle, trained by Dettori's mentor John Gosden, who supplies his only other mount in Wings Of Desire in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales's Arqana Racing Club Stakes.

Dettori rode out two lots for Gosden on Warren Hill on Tuesday and is ready to start back while at the same time being cautious.

Gosden said: "Frankie says he's fine but coming back in the longest race of the day didn't make a lot of sense, so he's now playing it safe and riding in the two Group 2 races."

As expected, it began raining in Newmarket on Tuesday afternoon, with upwards of 20mm forecast into the early hours on Wednesday.

Clerk of the course Michael Prosser reported: "It did exactly what it said on the tin and began raining mid-afternoon. We could get up to 20mm, but the course can take it as we haven't watered since Friday and it could do with a nice dollop.

"Potentially, we could start on Thursday on good ground and work back from that, as it's forecast to be mainly dry for the end of the week."

Frankie says he's fine but coming back in the longest race of the day didn't make a lot of sense